Summary: Fantastic gun. For my purposes, could be the best gun I’ve ever owned.
I bought a Staccato C in November 2021. I am always in search of the “perfect” gun. Over the years I’ve about 85 handguns, but I never own more than what I carry, which equates to a belt gun and a pocket gun. I have owned some nice pieces, including a West German PPK, bought with paperwork magic, P7M8s, a steel frame S&W Model 39, a S&W 640 tuned by a gunsmith working for the NYPD at Rodman’s Neck, and a custom Caspian with my date of birth as the serial number. I shoot better with a Staccato C than any handgun I’ve owned.
My criteria for purchasing the “C” boiled down to 1) Fit, the relationship of my hand to the grip which is my most important consideration when selecting a handgun; 2) Concealability, a pistol I could conceal from anyone looking at me; 3) AIWB friendly, a pistol that wouldn’t rotate outwards because the barrel was too short; 4) 9mm caliber; 5) Optics ready; 6) SAO. The icing on the cake, Staccato is just up the road from where I live in Austin and Dave Dawson from Dawson Precision is connected with Staccato.
The first range day proved how well the “C” and I worked together. Using sights, I was hitting the 2” circles on the PF target at 15 yards and scored 50/50 on the Dot-Torture at 4yds. First time I ever shot that well with any handgun. When I left the range that day, I bought a second “C” from and LGS. I debated on the C2 or a P, but my decision criteria held me to another “C”. I also bought optics for both. The remainder of this post is based on a combined 2350 rounds through both since last December. The usage split is 80/20 between the RMRcc range pistol and the Holosun 509 gun carry pistol. I used Dawson’s plates to mount both. The Holosun co-witnessed with the standard front sight. The RMRcc required a taller front sight. Staccato’s web page lists pistol compatibility for each Dawson plate.
All the controls are easy to use. The grip safety at about 50%. Because the hand to grip fit is positive, I haven’t had problems. As a lefty, I appreciate the ambi safety.
I’ve come to realize manual transmission cars and 1911s have something in common—a person who steals one probably won’t know how to use it.
Fit, finish, and reliability are all excellent. I took Hilton Yam’s online armor course for Staccato 2011s. He was very convincing explaining the technical merit of Staccatos over other 2011’s. Even though the “C” is a 1911, what Yam said regarding Staccato build quality applied to the “C” as well. Slide to frame fit is tuned in to combat pistol standards. Both pistols cycled all the different ammunition they were fed with zero malfunctions, consistent feeding, and extraction.
Magazines are easy to get and carry. Any Wilson, Tripp, and McCormick officer size magazines (8 and 9-round) are safe to use for carry. One issue to note: occasional failure to feeds using 10-round magazines. When it occurred, it was second or third round in magazine. Another issue, Wilson 9-round Elite Tactical mags with the black fluoropolymer finish do not drop free. My solution, I use a Staccato mag in the gun, and reload with a 9-round magazine.
Range time with the mounted optics has been phenomenal. The picture shows my carry pistol. Distance was 3-25 yards; round count was 150. The Holosun and “C” work well together. I use the 32 MOA ring with 2 MOA dot. I index with the ring and apply precision with the dot. As someone new to dots, the technique is helping me not focus first on sights then dot. Recoil is mild allowing for quick follow up shots.
In the final analysis, the “C” shoots big and carries small. For my hand size and concealment requirements, paired with an optic and the Enigma, the “C” is best concealable shooting handgun I’ve ever owned. The “C” is as easy to carry in the Enigma as the LCR 327 I recently purchased. The half-pound weight difference and use case for runs are keeping the LCR around. In the past, I’ve felt compelled to “upgrade” every handgun I’ve owned. Not the case with the “C”, there is nothing that needs to be done to make it better for combat shooting. But I will install flat triggers as a preference in both this month. Additionally, the people at Staccato have been very helpful every time I called with questions.
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JHC, let me know if I missed anything and thanks for getting me to write this.